15 police recruits accused of cheating will not be allowed to take state test

Posted August 9, 2018 at 5:21 PM

The 15 Cleveland police cadets under investigation on accusations of cheating during the police academy will not be allowed to take their state certification tests. ((Marvin Fong, Plain Dealer Publishing Co.))

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 15 police recruits under internal investigation on accusations of cheating will not be allowed to take the state police-licensing test.

Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said the recruits will be held out of the Aug. 16 Ohio Peace Officer's Training Academy test, which they are required to pass before they become certified police officers.

Former Cleveland City Councilman Zack Reed said he addressed the investigation and the city's barring of the recruits from taking the test during a Tuesday evening meeting at the Cleveland NAACP.

Reed said he addressed the organization because 11 of the recruits under investigation are black, cutting all but five black recruits from the academy classes' roster that will take the test.

He said he intends on meeting with the recruits and hopes to meet with Cleveland police officials regarding the investigation.

The city, spurred by the consent decree with the U.S. Justice Department to reform the police department, is pushing to recruit more black police officers to more closely reflect the city's racial makeup. Fifty-three percent of the city's residents are black, while 22 percent of police officers are black.

Ciaccia said the investigation into the recruits is on-going and could take some time for internal affairs investigators to finish. No disciplinary actions have been taken against the recruits, she said, and none of have resigned.

Cleveland is sending 50 officers to the Ohio Attorney General's Richfield site to take the state test, according to a roster of the list sent to OPOTA.

The investigation into accusations of cheating revolves around the recruits' notes they are required to take during academy classes, according to a statement from the city.

The recruits are graded pass-fail on the notes they take, along with formatting, neatness and other specifications.

Instructors examined the notebooks and "irregularities were observed," the statement says.

Internal affairs detectives are investigating the cheating allegations. Officials have not said exactly what sparked the investigation.

The potential disciplinary actions the recruits face includes possible termination depending on the outcome of the investigation.